Please Stay With Me
by Fae 206
Summary: One year ago, Clark Kent died after contracting a deadly Kryptonian disease. The world soon learned of his status as Superman despite those close to the reporter knowing him as the man he had been raised as. However, when a man who Lois has never met before claims to be her late husband, Lois has to decide how much trust to give him especially with their son involved.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I personally love this show. It's most likely what made me so interested in the DC Universe in the first place. I hope that you enjoy **** I haven't written for this show in over a year so I'm a little rusty. Please forgive me if I make any mistakes.**

**Please Stay With Me **

**Chapter One**

Lois could hear another siren in the distance, this time an ambulance. Someone had been shot and she would cover this as a story. She should be moving in the direction of the crime but she felt as if she had been stopped. A year ago was when she had lost Clark to a virus that was lethal and painful to Kryptonians. Since the first virus, she had studied everything she could get her hands on about how people believed alien bodies to work but a lot of it was science fiction. After a lot of pleading, she had finally managed to get Clark to see a doctor.

She looked down at the toddler in her arms. He reminded her a lot of Clark. Doctor Kline had told them that the DNA matched both of theirs which seemed impossible but that meant that this was the biological child that they never believed they could have. Clark had requested that he would be named after his grandfather and Lois couldn't think of a reason to disagree. The Kents had always been kind to them.

"We got some good stuff, didn't we?" she said to the two-and-a-half-year-old as he tried to grab the flowers out of the bag. "How about this one?" Lois asked as she reached for the plush Superman that they often kept in the car. There were lots of Superman merchandise, a lot more since his passing. Johnathan giggled as he reached his arms out for his favorite toy. Lois gently transferred him over to his car seat.

She froze as she heard someone behind her. "Hi," a male voice said and Lois turned around to find a young man who appeared very privileged in his designer clothes. "Hon-" he said before shaking his head. "Hold on," he said as Lois blinked. There was a strange familiarity about this kid. However, Clark was deceased. The treatment hadn't worked. Her father had proven that. "You're Lois Lane aren't you?" the young man asked and Lois shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm not her any longer," she apologized as she brushed her fingers through Johnathan's black hair. "But I am Lois Kent," she held out her hand. "I'm sorry, I'm in a little bit of a hurry, can I help you with something?"

"I never thought that you would take m-his last name," the man laughed and Lois looked him over. He was a young man in his early twenties, fashionable clothing, fashionable hairstyle and he looked mixed race, not that it mattered. He had light brown hair that was fashionably messy.

"He was my husband. I use it in honor of him. I don't care how a byline appears. He was my husband. In my eyes he still _is_ his husband. He's just away from me until I can hopefully join him in heaven. I'm willing to wait for him, to do anything that I can to stay loyal to him," Lois said as she placed a hand on her chest and the younger man gave her a weak smile.

"You once told me that you didn't care what body I was in, you're with me no matter what," he said and Lois eyes widened a bit. She gently touched Johnathan's cheek as he waved the Superman toy around.

"And you told me tha-"

"You had some forward flip," he laughed and Lois looked at him before taking a look around. She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him passionately before pulling back. She stared at him in shock, gently caressing his face before her eyes focused in on his. He was still tall, still incredibly handsome, his body was still toned.

"Clark?" she asked and saw Johnathan looking up at him in wonder.

…

…

_They could both tell that this was much different than the last time. Clark was having more trouble breathing and Lois wanted to slam the case of Kryptonite closed but she knew that Clark wouldn't like it, being so close to death but her trying to stop it. She placed her fingers on his cheeks, extremely glad for the privacy, and kissed him passionately, showing her compassion and her undying love._

"_Lois," Clark whispered slowly and quietly, the pain in his voice. He choked, finding it hard to breathe. She felt such pain in watching him. "I need…" he said before breathing heavily to get enough oxygen in his lungs._

"_I promise," Lois said as she gripped his hand. "I promise that we'll all take care of each other. Your parents, me, Johnathan, we'll all be safe and cared for but we want you there with us too. No, not want, we need you to be there."_

"_My ri—ing," Clark said as he reached for the bedside table where Lois had put his wedding ring in there safely. He didn't wear it when he had the cape, he stored it with his glasses because he didn't want people to know his identity. _

"_Are you sure," Lois asked as she dug it out. She had the feeling that her father would recognize the ring as Clark's wedding ring. She had a great suspicion that he would know Clark's dual identities. "I know you don't wear it whe-"_

"_Please," Clark forced out and Lois saw the agony in his expression. She quickly took it out and held it between her fingers. As his eyes flickered open he smiled and Lois picked up his hand. She held back a sob as she slid it onto his finger._

"_I gave you this when I married you," she whispered, "One of the best choices that I've ever made," she put her hand on the side of her face, her fingers slipping between strands of hair. "I love you, Clark."_

"_Love you too," Clark forced out, "and…Lo-is…Johnathan…" he said, his voice growing weaker and Lois tried hard to not lose control of her strength, it was the only thing he had to hold onto. "Tell him….about me?"_

_Lois nodded, "Clark, listen," she said as she gave him a steady gaze, seeing his eyes starting to flicker. "Johnathan will __always__ know who his father was…no who his father is,' she said. She saw Clark smiled before his eyes shut. Despite having seen it before, she was still scared by how far away from her he was. She heard him cough and saw something the color of the Kryptonite on the bed beside him. "Daddy!" she screamed as she tried to wipe it up but then felt a stabbing in her heart as if something were being tied around it and taking something away._

_Sam came rushing in but his eyes widened as he started to see the blue tint to his body that hadn't been there before, as he touched him there was a distinct iciness and Sam felt his own fingers turning a little blue until he pulled them back._

"_This is where you do the real work, right?" she asked and Sam turned to her. He hated to disappoint her. He had made this miracle happen once but this time it was asking too much already._

"_Lois, sweetheart," he said as he turned to her. He noticed the ring but didn't say anything. Given the way Lois had been the previous time that this had happened, he already knew the truth. Unless she were having a relationship with two men she could have never shown that much pain over the man of steel. Then there was the voice. They had the same voice, the same skin color, the same eye color, the same hair color. He had been pretending for both of their sakes that he didn't know his son-in-law was an alien. "I can't do anything, his body…the way it is now."_

"_Of course," Lois sniffed, "You can perform miracles."_

"_You're my daughter and I have to be completely honest with you," Sam said as he reached out for her hand. "Unless there's something about his physiology that I don't know. Cl-Superman is dead."_

_Lois froze, looking between her father and his anxious expression and the very stiff body of the man she loves. She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. The words didn't make sense to her. She rushed forwards, trying to search in vain for any breathing, any heartbeat no matter how small. _

_She grabbed onto his lifeless corpse and wept, holding him as if she would never get to again. She let her cheek rest on his shoulder before putting him back down. He had always been so strong, he wasn't strong enough, he hadn't been strong enough._

"_My dear, I am so sorry, your hu-your friend," he said although Lois hadn't heard the continuous slips of his tongue, "he's gone. Superman is dead."_

_Lois felt the finality of those words and she shook her head In denial, "You can bring him back, right?" she asked as she lay down beside him and wrapped her arms around him. He was gone? If it wasn't for Johnathan she would want to die right alongside him._

"_I think that it's time for you and his family to make funeral plans for him. I don't know if his species has a special method of honoring the dead but….we need to make sure that the world knows that the one named Superman is dead."_

_Lois shook her head as she closed her eyes. She knew that she would have to move eventually but she wanted to imagine him breathing again, him surprising them all and his heart starting to pump blood through his body again. "His name isn't Superman though," Lois protested._

"_I know," Sam nodded, "I've known since the last time I treated him. I know that he's Clark," Sam told her and Lois took a deep breath in. "Should we do that then?" he asked, hating to ask his daughter all of these important questions when her husband had just passed away. "Honor him as Clark Kent rather than Superman."_

_Lois nodded as she curled closer to him, she didn't believe that she could ever cry enough tears. Her chest hurt, her whole body hurt. "Please," she begged, "Daddy, please. Even when he looks like this, please call him Clark," she whispered knowing that it would soon be time for the world to know not only the death of Superman but the fact that he had been this top reporter._

_She knew the name Superman was most important to the world but to her, the most important name he would ever carry was Clark Kent. He was __her__ Clark Kent. _

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **I've just started rewatching this show and I felt inspired to write this next chapter.

**Chapter Two**

Lois blinked as the new Clark started looking around from side to side as if checking for something. Lois nodded. She needed to be careful. She was easily recognized but she didn't care about what some stupid low-class reporter would say about her but Clark Kent's image, his reputation, that mattered so much more to her. She gazed at him and smiled. He was still beyond gorgeous.

"I…" she closed her eyes and reached out for his hand, squeezing it a little and keeping it out of sight of anyone who could be watching them. She looked into his eyes and realized they were the same color, still those same amazing eyes that made her feel special and loved and safe. "I don't understand."

"I can't explain it myself, I wanted to come back for such a long time bu-"

"Why didn't you?" Lois cut him off as she saw the regret in his expression, that solemn silence that made her feel something else had gone wrong. She couldn't help but to gently brush his hair back, only noticing slightly the change in his skin color – no, that didn't matter. His racial identity didn't matter. He had been a Kryptonian anyway, not a human, and that still hadn't mattered to her.

"I was sick for a long time. I had to get better, get stronger, then I thought that if I came back like this after such a long period of being absent then -" he paused as he felt Lois's arms around him. She pressed her head against his chest.

"Don't you even think that I would reject you or turn you away or not love you anymore," she told him as she felt her tears roll down her cheeks and soak his shirt. So, what if he looked completely different and his voice sounded different – although the way he pronounced words was similar in tone and rhythm, - so what if he was younger than her, so what if he wasn't the same. She really didn't care what body he was in, he was here, with her. Looks weren't important.

He was someone who had felt himself an outcast in his childhood for his abilities and only in conquering those fears had gained the family he wanted. He was kind and humble and passionate and understanding. He was the truest and most moral person she had ever met. She had missed him more than even she could have understood and having nearly lost him before, she had expected that she would understand that grief. It was as if she had lost all her senses without him there.

"Chris," a young blonde woman said as she ran over to them and Lois took a step back, dabbing at her eyes. She saw the woman throw her arms around the new-Clark and he laughed weakly. Lois's eyes widened when she kissed his cheek. "I thought that you wouldn't leave me to go running off this time," she said teasingly and 'Chris' sighed.

"You know I get distracted," he said before gesturing to Lois, "This is…"

"Lois Kent," Lois said as she cut him off and held out her hand. Was this what had made it so that he hadn't returned to her as soon as possible? Had he started a new life where she would just be the other woman? She tried not to show a look of feeling hurt and betrayed. He deserved to live a new life. He deserved happiness.

"Kara Danvers," the blonde woman said and Lois smiled weakly. She knew that they looked more like a couple than she would with the new version of Clark. She knew that she should probably let him go. She was an older woman who was probably some dumpy housewife to them.

"I wish you all the happine-" Lois said shortly as she looked back at Johnathan and felt the new-Clark put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"My other name is Kara Zor-El," Kara tried to explain and 'Chris' laughed weakly as he gestured to her. However, Lois, always being able to get her word in first, looked between the two of them.

"Zor-El, like…like Kal-El?" she asked and Kara nodded.

"She's my cousin," 'Chris' attempted to explain. "She was able to help me when I was at my lowest points health wise. She was able to find me this body. She's Kryptonian, just like I am."

"Your cousin?" Lois asked as she looked between the two of them. She opened her mouth to say something and saw the similarities between the two of them in their mannerisms. She paused before trying to change her body posture so that she wasn't looking so desperate. "Well, I guess…I guess I should thank you," she said and Kara shook her head as she turned to the new-Clark.

"He's obsessed with you. You're all he's been talking about since he gained consciousness," Kara said as she put a hand on Clark's back, wanting to help support him in this interaction. He had been so nervous about it. "You and Johnathan and his parents. His Earth family," she said and Lois looked at him with a smile. So, he really hadn't changed. Under this coating, this body, he was the same person.

"You still should have come to me sooner. I mean, did you really think that I would have moved on? I mean, did you really think that of all the things that we've been through that just like that -"

"We should probably discuss this later," new-Clark said and Lois paused. She nodded before taking Johnathan out of his car seat and saw his father's face soften as he watched him.

"Before you go, I want for you to hold him. I know that you've probably been dy—wanting to," she said and Clark took the baby in his arms. He kissed the top of his son's head and rocked him carefully. Kara looked at him. She hadn't thought about being a mother before but seeing the way her younger cousin was interacting with the small child made her think about it. An Earth family was possible for both of them.

…

…

Lois couldn't remember the last time she had felt so restless. She knew that her husband was out there but he was in a different body and she didn't know where he was or if she would see him again. She would have to, right? He wasn't going to stay away forever. He was stubborn but she had already convinced him that she loved and accepted him, hadn't she?

She sighed as she looked over some notes for an article before her attention strayed to the photo album she always had close by. Pictures of the two of them together. Before tonight, she would talk to it as if he could hear her. Tonight though, she knew he was out there and she just wanted to see him the way she remembered him. After some digging, she had managed to find a hospital record for him with the only picture of his new body that she could. She placed it next to the album that she was looking at.

He was definitely young and she honestly wasn't sure of his racial makeup. He definitely had some Caucasian features but parts of him looked Asian in nature. She didn't care though. He was still incredibly attractive to her. She sighed before hearing the doorbell. She had ordered Chinese food for delivery, it had reminded her of the first time she and Clark had worked late into the night. She needed to remember those times.

Going to the door, she stopped short as she saw that the Chinese food was there but she also saw the young man standing opposite her with a grin. He didn't look out of place and that scared Lois. Yes, it wouldn't create such a stir in neighborhood gossip but she was scared of seeing him as someone different. He was the same man whom she had fallen in love with and married, he was still the father of her child.

"Hi," he said as he stood there at the doorway, "Can I come in?"

Lois felt her jaw drop as she studied him, she grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him in with a tug and then closed the door. Before she realized it, her hands were on his arms and she was leaning up to kiss him, as she slid her hand to his cheek she started kissing him, nuzzling him, anything to stop the cravings of his touch. She didn't care that as she felt his touch on her, the way his hands still felt on her, that the delivery food had been forgotten.

"Mmm, mmm," Lois murmured as she kissed him even when her lips felt raw. She held onto him, letting her head rest on his chest. She started crying and felt his arms embracing her. She clutched to a handful of the fabric of his shirt. "I love you," she told him as she listened to his heartbeat. "I love you so much," she said and felt his breaths. This was what she had been hoping for, the miracle that she had wanted so badly.

"I love you too," he replied and Lois held to him more and snuggled into his chest. It didn't matter what their relationship looked like or how he appeared. Nothing mattered right now. He was here with her, he was telling her he loved her, he was holding her. She closed her eyes and let the tears soak the fabric again.

"Welcome home," she said before looking up at him. It was almost as if she could see an outline, a shadow of how he had looked before placed over him in a ghostly manner. Even though he looked completely different, she could still see Clark Kent. She saw him smile and nod.

"I'm home," he whispered and Lois laughed as she wanted to get him seated and relaxed. They could figure everything else out the next day. All that mattered was that he was here with her. She watched as he lifted his head and looked around, his eyes widening. She heard a news report about a derailed train and saw him flinch a little.

"Honey, it's okay, things like this happen," she said before she saw him take off his shirt and change into a costume, it had similarities to Superman's outfit but it was different, green and black and with the Kryptonian symbol on the upper arm.

"I have to go. I promise, I'll be right back," he told her before flying out and Lois watched after him. He was still Kryptonian. At least she knew how to take care of him, she just hadn't believed that he would be anything more than human.

…

…

_Lois stood paler than ever as she stood at the doorway of the room where Clark had passed away. His corpse was still there and she would soon have to call for someone to take him away. She didn't want to see him gone but he wasn't in there anymore. He couldn't be with them any longer. She stared at his face feeling absolutely broken. She would never see his eyes open or his mouth move or feel his lips again. She felt the guilt inside her as Martha slowly approached the corpse._

_Martha put a hand over her mouth and sat on the floor near the corpse, "I'm sorry, my darling boy," she said as she kissed his forehead. She put a hand on his shoulder and looked up at her husband who was shaking and sobbing as he realized that there was no escape. They had seen him die before, or at least something close to it when he had failed in the eyes of the Kryptonian court but they had brought him back. This wasn't like that. _

"_Martha," Lois said as she choked on her words, "I'm sorry. I am so so sorry to the two of you."_

"_Don't….don't apologize," Johnathan said as he tried to wipe the tears away from his eyes. "It's not your fault. Clark wouldn't like you to blame yourself. To honor his mem—memory."_

"_Nobody blames you," Martha told her as she smoothed Clark's hair again as her sobs broke her. She could remember him as a small boy when he was just starting to learn about his powers. She could see their family doing their best to help him and protect him. Even as his mother, she couldn't protect him this time. "Sometimes, people just…" she shook her head. _

"_I'm still -" Lois began but Martha cut her off._

"_Clark has always said that meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to him. I don't want you blaming yourself. It isn't your fault and it would break his heart to hear that you think it is. We need to honor him and what he would have wanted," Martha argued and Lois nodded as she put a hand over her heart. Martha was right. The most important thing was to honor him and continue loving him even after he was gone. _

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

**Thank you to **Janet Martini de La Ley **for reviewing Chapter One. It means a lot to me. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **I've just had a craving to update this fic a lot. I'll probably not update it for a couple of weeks after this chapter unless there's a huge demand for it 😊 Thanks for taking the time to read it.

**Chapter Three**

Lois smiled as she reached out for the chow mein. It was cold but she didn't care. Anything would taste good right now. She looked to the new-Clark and smiled as she kissed his cheek and wrapped the sheets around herself. She saw him position himself as he looked at her, his body still had such an impressive physique and she could see him in the way he moved and especially in his facial expression.

"So, what are you? Other than…you know, gorgeous," she smiled to him as she sat down at a chair and faced him, wanting to know anything and everything about his new second chance at life.

"I'm…a man who cares a great deal about you," Clark said as he got up, "I'm a man who loves you unconditionally. I'm a man who would sacrifice anything for the chance to be with you and our son."

"Well," Lois laughed as she kissed him and smiled, pushing some strands of hair behind her own ear. "I know all of that. I mean…I know that you're not Hispa-"

"You mean what the racial makeup of this body is," Clark said as he sat up and stared in front of him. He sighed before pushing his back against the wall and watched her. She still seemed to be looking at him with the same love in her eyes despite the outside appearance being extremely different. "I'm half-Caucasian American," he told her and Lois nodded slowly, "I'm also half-" he waited and Lois paused realizing she must seem too eager to want to know the next part.

She didn't mean to pressure him, that wasn't what she wanted.

"I'm half-Korean," he told her finally and Lois blinked in surprise. She had been right about him having Asian traits and now that he had admitted that to her, she felt a lot more settled. It didn't matter if he was a centaur, half-horse and half-man, she was committed to loving him. "I'm going by the name Chris Kwon."

Lois raised an eyebrow as she looked at him and nodded. Wasn't that just too similar to Clark Kent. "Mhmm," she said as she came to sit next to him and pushed his thick and luscious hair back. She kissed his lips passionately. "That just might seem like too much of a coincidence."

"Look at me," Clark told her as he gestured, "Nobody would ever look at me and think that I'm Clark Kent. I mean, that possibility doesn't even seem…nobody would see past my race anyway, even you haven't really." He sighed, "It's brutal, I never realized how brutal. With all those stories and articles that I've written, I was always doing it from the male Caucasian perspective I didn't know about the racism that exists…everywhere."

"You should know that doesn't matter to me," Lois said as she put a hand on his chest, not wanting to see him becoming upset. She could finally be with him again. She was wondering though what he had been through for those things to become triggers. He looked like a regular normal, very attractive and seductive, handsome guy.

"Well, to me, you're perfect but you do need a mask or something," she said as she let her fingers spread over his cheek. "Before you could get by with a pair of glasses but I think we need to do something a little….more creative especially since you'll be with me."

"I'll be with you?" he asked and Lois sighed.

"Well eventually you will be," she tried to persuade him, she wasn't going to let his stubbornness win over her own. "I mean, we'll just say I'm training you or mentoring you first of all. Sew the seeds if you want. Then over time, things will develop and….and I'll just be called a cougar but that's fine."

"Making me the luckiest guy in the world," he said with a smile and she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hold me," she whispered the request as she nuzzled his neck affectionately, having missed this time with the Kryptonian. He brought them back to the bed, embracing her close to him and pressing kisses onto her exposed back. Everything was better when they were together.

…..

…..

Clark had never really slept in this late before. When he had been young, he had been up as early as possible so that he could help his dad doing chores around the farm. He had become accustomed to waking up late. He could recharge in less time than it would take most people. However, being in the familiar bed with the smell of his wife surrounding him, Clark had been able to enjoy sleeping in. He looked to the side and saw a note from Lois saying that she was going out and he should stay in the bedroom until she got back.

He blinked surprised but then heard Johnathan crying. Lois hadn't taken him with her? She couldn't have meant that he should just let their son cry, could she? As he picked up a robe that he had brought over the previous night and some slippers, he went into the kitchen area and froze. He should have tried to be more alert.

He had not expected to see his parents there. His parents who still believed that he was dead. His parents who were staring at him in complete shock.

"Hello, there?" Martha asked slowly as she studied him. "I'm sorry. Lois didn't tell us that she had company over."

Clark nodded slowly, trying to figure out how to explain this to them. He hadn't prepared himself for this moment but they deserved to know. Had Lois invited them out of the belief that he could take opportunity of this chance.

"I'm sorry," his father said turning to him, "You understand English, right? You can speak it?"

"Ye-Yeah, sorry," Clark said as he attempted to get his brain to start working. He looked at them, "I'm sorry."

"Johnathan," Martha scolded as she batted at him. "Leave the poor man alone, he's intimidated enough as it is. I would think that he knows English. Sorry about him, did you want to get changed and then I can prepare you breakfast," she told him as she got up and Johnathan spoke again.

"It's an easy mistake to make," he replied trying to defend his statement, "I wouldn't have expected Lois to date someone Oriental though."

Martha stared at him, "Asian-American," she attempted to correct him before turning to the new-Clark who looked horrified. "At least, I'm guessing so. Forgive me if I'm wrong," she said and turned to her husband. She really hoped that they didn't offend the man in front of them.

"I'm not who you think I am," he said as he looked at his father feeling a little hurt because he had never imagined his father would act that way towards him. It was unsettling. "It's going to be very hard to believe but….you wake up at four every morning without fail, you've been doing so since you the farm from your father," he said and Johnathan nodded. "You always told your son that he didn't need to get up but he always did because you were his hero, you are his hero."

"I had a very special son," the older man nodded. He exchanged looks with Martha wondering whether this man had been told all of this by Lois.

"Your son, you taught him to be kind and look out for others but you also tried to help him by telling him not to show his powers. You were scared that he would be locked up and experimented on. You didn't want that life for him. When he was young, there was a news article about someone who scientists believed was an alien and there were gruesome images, after that you took Clark out on a camping trip, you encouraged him to use his powers and be special because nobody was around and you taught him how others wouldn't be acceptant of that. If Clark had been normal, he would have been hurt after he fell down the cliff. You thought you lost him but he flew out."

Johnathan continued staring at him but lifted his coffee, his eyes wide. "How do you know all of that?" he asked and the new Clark looked down before turning to Martha.

"You helped Clark with his costume, spent so many hours sewing. You had the symbol from the blanket he was wrapped in as an infant. When he was held at trial, you both said that he was the best son you could have asked for. The pain of the vaporization," he said slowly, "wasn't as bad as the knowledge that I - that he would never see you again."

"Clark?" Martha asked as she looked at him. He was so different but the slip had caught her by surprise. She looked at him and watched him, seeing him nod. She blinked as she took in the new body. "How? How is that possible?"

"Why did you change your appearance?" Johnathan asked, "It's strange seeing you as -"

"Oriental?" Clark asked and Martha reached out to take his hands, seeing the silent pain on his face.

"I'm sorry about that," Johnathan apologized and Martha looked at her son with a mother's smile. She squeezed his hands.

"Honey," Martha whispered as she brushed his hair back lovingly. "Don't ever think that we wouldn't love you. Remember, we found you knowing that you were from another planet and we still decided to take you in and raise you as our own. No matter how you looked at that time. You were an innocent child and we wanted to take care of you, we would still have wanted to take care of you if your appearance had been this way."

"Thanks, Mom" he whispered before looking at his father who obviously regretted the wording that he had chosen. "Thanks, Dad" he said honestly and Johnathan nodded. "I was able to return to the world of the living but only because of some ancient rules and customs. One of those being that you have to take on a significant change so that the body cannot be truly recognized, this was the choice that I made."

"Well," Martha said as she stood up to get her son something to eat. "You still look gorgeous. I mean, there must be something in you that allows you to look so attractive and I'm happy that you're here. I'm happy that Lois knows, she _does_ know, right?"

"I do know what?" Lois asked as she entered with a few bags of groceries. She looked at them before walking over to Clark in shock. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked and he nodded. "Johnathan, Martha," she said as she looked to them each in turn. "I want to introduce you to…"

"We know, honey," Martha said and Clark squeezed Lois's hand.

"They _do _know. It's okay. I feel they've accepted me as I am now," he smiled to her before seeing his dad looking down in horror. He had grown up using certain words and there wasn't that much diversity in Smallville but he should have known better. He didn't know how his words had come across. All he wanted for his son was his continued happiness.

"Good," Lois smiled in relief as she kissed his cheek. "That's really good. They can help us figure out how to proceed from here."

**End of Chapter Three**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

**Thank you to **very1169** for reviewing Chapter Two**

I'm wondering if your name is a reference to Heathers, btw.


	4. Chapter 4

_Lois kept fiddling with his glasses as she had stepped into the room where Doctor Klein had him. She couldn't bear to imagine some other doctor or surgeon or mortician taking the chance to cut him open and examine him. She couldn't take him to a regular hospital because the corpse might end up in a laboratory. After all that he had given to the world, she didn't want for that to become his fate, some test subject or lab animal. _

_She closed her eyes as she folded the glasses and placed them in her pocket. She knew she shouldn't be in here, this body hadn't had Clark's spirit in it for days but she couldn't help but to break in and be with him at least for a couple more hours. She was a romantic at heart and a hard working professional on the outside but most of all, she had loved him. She had felt so special because he had chosen her. _

"_You know," she heard a familiar voice behind her and she stood up, moving her body so she was in front of Clark's body. "It took a lot of skill to follow you and break in here. I give you a lot of credit." _

_Lois's eyes widened. The news hadn't come out about Superman being dead but only about him being missing and that had happened before, not very often, but it had happened before. Jimmy didn't know. Perry White didn't know. She hadn't known how to tell them._

"_So, is that CK?" Jimmy asked with a pained expression as Lois continued to use her body to shield Clark from Jimmy's view. _

"_There are things that you don't know," she said before dropping Clark's glasses. She looked down but Jimmy picked them up. She could see his own grief and mournful nature as he turned the glasses in his hand. He chuckled to himself._

"_You know what's really strange," he said with his pain heard in his voice. "CK…I never saw him without his glasses on, not one time. Not to rub his eyes or if he had dozed off or even outside of work. He never took off these glasses around me, can you believe that?"_

"_Yes," Lois said slowly as she eyed him cautiously, "I imagined that that was the case."_

_Jimmy stared at her confused but sighed as he handed her back the glasses. It was an odd statement to say but Lois believed him and took it as such a serious nature that he had to believe her. Was there something about his eyes that only Lois knew? "Uh, yeah…" he said and Lois sighed._

"_Jimmy, if I tell you something – show you something, out of respect to Clark can you just let me deal with it?" she asked and Jimmy nodded slowly. He studied her and saw Lois take a few steps to the side to show that it was 'Superman's' body that she was guarding. Jimmy's eyes widened as he stared at the man before him in shock. "Clark wasn't exactly human."_

"_No…way…" Jimmy breathed slowly. He opened his mouth to start asking questions and shook his head. Lois took the glasses and gently slid them over Clark's eyes before taking them off as Jimmy continued to stare in shock. He was baffled by this revelation. His friend had been…Clark Kent was flying around and catching criminals and stopping disasters in his free time and he hadn't even been able to capture a photograph of it. _

"_Promise you'll let me handle it?" Lois asked and Jimmy stared at her._

"_How long did you -"_

"_Oh, come on, it didn't take me that long to know but Clark, I want the world to remember him as Clark Kent. He was born someone else but he was adopted by the Kents. His real name is…." _

"_Superman…" Jimmy breathed out and Lois frowned as she put her hand on Clark's cadaver's forehead. He would always be more than just Superman to her. _

….

….

**Chapter Four**

Just as he had always remembered it, the news room was a bustling place of activity. People had shown even greater interest in the paper since finding out what Superman's true identity was but it had been proven that – except in the case of Lois – nobody had learned of this fact. The journalistic integrity was preserved of The Daily Planet but the loss was deeply felt and noticed.

The majority of people at The Planet still remembered the deceased individual as Clark Kent, the man who had chosen to become Superman. He was a man who had been adopted by a couple from Smallville and had seemed as human as any of them. They respected the man and the journalist that he had been. There were many through who saw him as just Superman and that had overshadowed his personal life and history.

Chris looked around, moving closer to Lois's desk to see one picture of her and him as Superman but most were of the two of them or the three of them. He looked around, observing the area to find there to be marks on the desk from spilled coffee or water glasses without a coaster. It didn't seem as pristine as it used to. Using the X-ray vision, he managed to look inside of the drawer to show numerous chocolates and tissue boxes. There were also some of his own belongings kept in a box in there.

He had to believe that he had the strength to cope with this as she had. He didn't know whether he could have come back here if she had died, as much as he loved having been a reporter, family came first. He took slow breaths before feeling a hand on his shoulder and turned suddenly.

"Were you lost in thought?" Lois whispered to him before pulling out a chair, "Just sit. I'm going to go talk to Perry about that job opportunity," she said. Chris nodded and took slow inhales before hearing the sound of someone coming and sitting down at the desk which used to be his. He turned and his eyes brightened as he saw Jimmy there. He was a reporter, doing his own pieces. Chris had to feel happy that he had achieved that.

"Hey, Cat," Jimmy asked as he leaned over to the gossip columnist. "That guy over there at Lois's desk…who is that?"

Chris looked down and shook his head. He needed to be patient. He had always been able to pick up on a private conversation but at this point, he just needed to keep his head down and not draw attention to himself. He heard Cat purr and remembered how interested she had been the first few months he had been here.

"I'm not sure but he's…he's a great rebound, don't you think? I mean, he's probably going to want other options. Nobody could hold a candle to Superman," Cat stood up and Chris felt his body tense. He was going to have direct contact with someone from his past whilst living in a new identity. She walked over to him and Chris looked up at her, already feeling that he knew what she was going to say.

"Hi, there cutie," Cat said as she sat atop Lois's desk and Chris was surprised. He definitely looked younger than her. Was age not an issue to her as long as it was legal? Well, he was half expecting for that to be the case. "Who do we have in my office, hmm?" she asked and Chris could tell that Jimmy was watching this interaction.

"A friend…" he said with a weak smile.

"Even someone like Lois has friends?" Cat asked and pushed her hand through his hair. He looked up at her and weakly smiled, he could hear Jimmy shift in an awkward manner and paused, turning his attention in the direction of his friend. "I mean, she's so full of surprises."

"Don't let Cat intimidate you, she's got claws but she won't use them," Jimmy said as he came over, studying the man before him very skeptically. Chris had no idea why he was observing him as if he were some kind of specimen. "I'm James," he said as he held out his hand, "James Olsen."

"Chris Kwon," Chris said and Jimmy paused.

"C…K…" Jimmy said in a very slow manner before seeing Cat look at him as if he had hit his head and had a concussion.

"She definitely has a preference, it's sad that she's just using you as a rebound," Cat commented and Chris smiled before seeing Jimmy taking a step back in disbelief. Jimmy returned to his desk, pulling something out. "I mean, you are too gorgeous to be considered a good rebound," she said. "Let me know when Lois is done playing with you because then maybe we can take a turn together."

"Gr-Great," Chris smiled very weakly. He stood and Jimmy stared after him before getting up and following after him. As Chris managed to get to the water cooler, he saw Jimmy staring at him, his hand on top of the tank.

"Who are you?" he asked and Chris stared at him confused. He hadn't expected for anyone – especially Jimmy – to be this interested in him. It felt intimidating but he wasn't usually an intimidating individual. Chris laughed but saw Jimmy staring at him. "I considered Clark Kent a friend. I was absolutely devastated by his death and I felt like I wanted to learn everything about him when I found out his status as Superman. I have watched every interview, read every article, seen everything to do with both Clark Kent and Superman and I just…did you copy him? Is that the plan?"

Chris turned to the now older male and smiled to him. "I'm not meaning any harm to her if that's your question," he said before pushing his hair back and gave a very relaxed smile. He paled as he heard the sound of a siren, "Sorry. I just remembered, Lois asked me to check on something for her," he said and Jimmy followed.

"Lois and I have known each other forever, I'm sure that she won't mind if I come with you." Jimmy said and Chris bowed his head. He looked around, he knew that he wouldn't have any choice but to either knock the other man out or risk his identity. Maybe Kara would get there first but he didn't want to risk it.

"I really need for you to excuse me," he said before dashing off and changing into his new superhero outfit. Jimmy sighed as he heard the whoosh from the window. He walked over to Lois's desk where she was just exiting with Perry and narrowed his eyes. "Chris Kwon?" he asked and Lois paused as she turned to him.

"That's right?" she asked and looked around, "Have you seen him anywhere?"

"You need to get a little bit more creative than that," Jimmy tested her and Lois remained silent as she tried to come up with a response. No. Jimmy might be a great investigative journalist and an even better photographer but even he couldn't figure out what was really happening.

"What?" she asked and Perry turned to him.

"What on earth are you talking about, son?" he asked and Lois turned to the younger reporter. No. There was no way that he could know.

**End of Chapter Four**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"I…" Jimmy began before he shook his head, he turned to Lois who was continuing to stare at him. "I guess nothing, Chief," he said before continuing to eye Lois who was watching him. Her expression seemed to convince him that there was something else going on here. At the same time though, he wasn't sure whether he should get involved or not. Lois was a tough girl. Even if this man had adopted some of Clark's mannerisms it didn't mean Lois wasn't aware of being scammed.

"Have you seen Chris though?" Lois asked before hearing something from behind her and she turned around with a soft smile. How Jimmy had come to such an accurate conclusion, she wasn't sure.

"Sorry," Chris said as he looked between them, "I wanted to get some water."

"That's all right," Perry said before looking at Lois's desk. He moved some papers around, tidying them as the top female reporter watched them. "As I was saying to Lois, we do have an opening. Of course, not anything exciting. Getting coffee, doing copies, that ki-"

"Fixing broken items," Jimmy said and Perry nodded.

"As time goes though and if you show real talent and potential, you could become like Jimmy here," he gestured, "go up the ranks. We had one heck of a great reporter in Kent and that's not focusing on what I want to go his extra curriculars. We can test you out since Lois recommended you."

"I recommend you too, by the way," Cat purred and Lois gave her a warning shot. "Come on, we all know that you're not moving on from your deceased husband," the gossip columnist told her. "I mean, he really was a super man in other ways than his abilities."

"I know that he was…he was an amazing man, the best," Lois argued and saw Jimmy frown. Lois had to imagine that in Jimmy's head he was feeling that she was getting tricked by someone who was interested in taking Clark's place in her life. He couldn't know the truth, it was impossible. "However, Clark would have wanted me to move on and be happy. He would have wanted Johnathan to be happy and protected and it seems unbelievable that even he would be able to come back to life."

Perry stood there with a sad smile as his eyes went to where Clark's desk used to be, now being used by somebody else. "Well, uh, let's go talk about that job," he said as he turned to Chris and Lois gave a sigh of relief. For some reason, Jimmy was still studying her, she had to believe that he was doing that out of concern for her. It seemed impossible that he would know the truth.

…..

…

Clark looked down at Johnathan as he held the little boy in his arms. Johnathan had his arms wrapped around his neck and had his cheek pressed to his shoulder. It was amazing to hold him again. Despite spending most of the time since the last time he had been with his family in recovery, he had felt such a craving for this.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked as she studied him. She saw him come and sit down on a chair near her and she studied him. There was so much of the old him behind the physical appearance. His change in appearance definitely wasn't a deal breaker. In fact, she was getting accustomed to it already.

"I'm fine," he said before sighing as he heard something, someone about to jump off of a roof. Lois noticed this and took Johnathan out of his arms. She watched him go, wishing that she could think of a better disguise for him to use. Since the world had found out about the connection between Clark Kent and Superman, people were looking at others more carefully and there would definitely be people scrutinizing him.

She knew he wouldn't be long and sat down, holding the little boy on her lap. He was so much like his father and that had become a comfort to her. She always had a little part of Clark with her. Now she had so much more. Hearing a knock on the door, Lois hoisted the little boy up to her shoulder and he giggled loudly as she kissed his cheek.

"Who do you think that is?" Lois asked before going to the door. She took a step back and opened it before staring at the woman on the other side in surprise. "Lucy?" she asked as she saw her sister standing there. She appeared in despair and Lois knew she had no other choice but to let her in. "What is it?" she asked as she took a step to the side, "What's wrong?"

"Darren broke up with me," Lucy said as she felt the tears in her eyes. Lois watched her feeling terrible but she wasn't sure whether this was the place she should be.

"Are you sure?" Lois asked before seeing Johnathan start to fall asleep. "I mean, maybe you misheard what he wanted to tell you."

"I was _there_ when he said that he no longer wants to be with me and that he no longer wants to see me," Lucy complained before turning away. "After all that I've put up with recently. I thought that dating someone new, different, would be good for me. It doesn't matter what part of the world they are from, even other cultures won't show you respect. I mean, you did the best thing possible when you married an alien."

"It wasn't that he was an alien that I fell in love with Clark," Lois argued. She didn't want to go into how that statement had hit her in the wrong way, made her feel that there was something wrong with that. She often tried to ignore the idea that Clark wasn't of her species because of the way he had been brought up as a human, the way he looked human, the way he acted as if there was little difference between the two of them. He wasn't some green glowing extraterrestrial.

"Wasn't it?" Lucy asked as she raised an eyebrow.

There was a sound from the back door and Lucy turned to Lois confused before going in the direction that the noise came from. She paused as she saw 'Chris' who had changed back into regular clothes. "You never told me you had anyone here," Lucy said as she stared at her sister in shock. Lois had assured her that she wasn't interested in men other than Clark. To see an unknown male in this house was almost bizarre.

"Yes, I…" Lois began but Clark held his hand out to Lucy, seeing Lois shrug behind her to say that she wasn't expecting for this to happen.

"Hi, Chris Kwon. I recently started at the Planet and Lois, Ms. La-" he said and Lois coughed, her eyes focusing on Lucy. "I mean, Mrs. Kent has been kind enough to let me rent a room whilst I'm getting back on my feet."

Lucy smiled to him, blinking away her tears. "Well, lucky her. You're gorgeous by the way."

Clark took a step back awkwardly as he rubbed his neck. He couldn't just tell her that he and Lois were actually still married – although technically, they weren't – and that he had come back from the dead wanting to be with her.

Lois looked to her younger sister, "Lucy just broke up with her boyfriend," she tried to explain but Lucy placed both hands around Clark's. Of course, she didn't know who he was when he was in this new body. Nobody really would know who he was.

"Which makes me single," she said and Clark looked at Lois very nervously. How were they going to get out of this if Lucy was attracted to him? She was family after all. You couldn't be too harsh to family members.

…

…

Lucy sighed as she sat on the sofa. She had wanted for Lois to offer her either her bedroom or to make Chris surrender the guest bedroom but she hadn't done either of those for her. In fact, Lucy felt a weird vibe as if Lois didn't want to comfort her. She had always helped her before. Even when Lois was off on an assignment, Clark had been there to take care of her and talk to her. He was an amazing brother-in-law despite the fact that he had been lying to the entire world.

She should have suspected more from him. She should have tried to find out his secret and expose him for who he really was. She could have sold that story for a little extra money. However, if she had sold that story then Lois would have never forgiven her. It was too bad that Lucy would never be able to thank Clark for all he had done, not only as the man of steel but as himself as well.

"So, what's the story with him?" Lucy asked as she turned to Lois who tensed with her sister's eyes on her. "I mean, you told me that no man would ever be lucky enough to take Clark Kent's place and here you are with your rebound guy."

"My rebound guy?" Lois coughed as she looked at her in disbelief, "Chris….Mr. Kwon is not my rebound guy. I had Superman. I don't get together with just anyone."

"So, can _I _have him?" Lucy asked and Lois froze. She put down the scrapbook of all of Clark's old writings that she was looking at. She turned to her sister and raised an eyebrow. She didn't know how to respond but there was something within her that made it so she wanted to bring Lucy down a little bit, let her know that Chris wasn't available to date.

"You can't _have_ him," Lois told her. She looked away, "Didn't you just end things with Darren? I mean, it sounds like you truly loved him." Lois sighed as her fingers gently brushed against a picture of Clark. She smiled again as she looked at the book and then saw Superman's image. She should have known for so long who he was, she shouldn't have been blinded as if she had a silly schoolgirl crush.

"You might not want a rebound guy," Lucy said before sighing, "but I want one. It would only be one time, I could use him to make Darren jealous. I mean -"

"I don't want such a thing to happen," Lois said as she stood. She looked at her sister showing her protectiveness of the new man in her house, the new man in her life. Lois looked up painfully to where both of those important males to her were before she turned to her sister. "I'm sorry. I don't want you talking about them. I'm going to have to ask that you -"

"You're going to have to ask…what?" Lucy said suspiciously and Lois stared at her, her heart beating nervously in her chest but she shook her head. Best to just come out with it.

"That you leave. I hate being the type of person that Daddy was to us but I can't explain it. I don't want you to hurt Clar-Chri-Mr. Kwon," she said as Lucy studied her slip. Was this some kind of Freudian slip so that Lois could enter into a relationship with a younger man without being judged for it. Was she scared that Clark would never forgive her?

"I thought you were into white guys and only white guys," Lucy shrugged as she looked to the left overs from their dinner.

Lois laughed and wiped a few tears from her eyes, "I knew that _Clark _was a Kryptonian when I married him," she argued. "I'm not bound by someone's genetic makeup. I like companionship, someone who I don't scare off, someone who finds pleasure in being around me."

Lucy shook her head. Lois might not like it but she had to figure out a way to make Chris Kwon fall in love with her.

**End of Chapter Five**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

**Thank you so much to **bahall1964 **for reviewing Chapter Four**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Wow, it's been so long since I wrote for this fic and I definitely did enjoy writing this chapter. Thank you for all who have returned to it and also for those of you who are reading it for the first time. I truly appreciate it.

**Chapter Six**

Chris Kwon.

That was who he was supposed to be, someone with a completely different background who could never be identified as being either Clark Kent, Kal-El, or Superman. Still, as Lois looked at him and watched him, she could see the same facial expressions and same gestures. Those things weren't to do with the way you were born or your biological makeup. Those were the ways in which you were brought up and things you developed for only yourself.

That was why hearing her sister want to woo him upset her. Clark's parents were different. They had always taken care of him despite knowing that he was an alien and they deserved to know. They had been as hurt as she had about his death. He had come to her because he loved her. She would also know how much it would torment him were his parents not to know him.

"Chris," Lois said as she stood up but Lucy ran in front of her.

"Hey, Chris. Are you doing anything tonight?" she asked him and Lois could see that he was a little taken aback. Yes, Clark had always been a good actor, becoming a superhero did that to you because you needed to hide your disguise. However, in his old identity, Lucy had still been family and his sister in law. Despite not being able to tell her the truth, he still cared about her.

"I was just ask-" Lois coughed.

"Chris is too important to be seen as your rebound guy," Lucy said and Lois paled. She couldn't explain to the world who he was without risking either people calling her insane with that insanity coming because of grief or risking him. To the world Superman was more important than his day to day life as Clark Kent. To Lois, he would _always_ be her Clark.

"Rebound guy," Lois coughed before shaking her head.

"You mean…as friends?" Chris asked trying to act surprised though they all knew what was happening. He shrugged, "I could do something as a friend. I'm not really interested in much more," he said before tilting his head to the side and gave a very weak and apologetic smile. "I'm sorry if you were hoping for mo-"

His reply was interrupted as he heard Johnathon wailing. "I'll go see the little guy, give you a break," he said as he excused himself from the kitchen. Lois nodded. She knew that this was Clark. How Clark had been able to return was a puzzle to her still but she wanted him to find comfort in the things which he usually did. Lucy looked hurt as she tried to deal with the rejection.

"You're not worried about him hurting the baby by being irresponsible?" she asked. Lois sighed. She had often told Lucy that she was afraid that her younger sister would be irresponsible with the baby and maybe that's why she was using that same reasoning against Chris.

"He would never hurt him," Lois replied.

"I would never hurt him either. Despite him being half space goop," Lois's eyes widened as she heard that and her heart seemed to fold in on itself. "He's still my nephew, still family."

Lois didn't realize she was crying until one of the tears slid onto the table. She had to be strong. She was Lois Lane, top reporter for the Daily Planet. She should not be crying. She had to be as strong as the man she had fallen in love with an married. "Did you just call Clark's DNA 'space goop'?" she asked as she put a hand over her mouth. "Is that all that you think of him as?"

"I mean, yeah," Lucy shrugged as she looked guilty. "He wasn't human. I know that Spandex was hot and who wouldn't want like…a literal god to fall in love with but I wouldn't want to look at his DNA under a microscope. In fact, he was an alien and isn't that illegal. Some kind of bestiality or -"

Lois wasn't aware that she had slapped her sister until she pulled back to see how red her palm was. "Lucy," she said as she bowed her head feeling trapped and lost again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hit you but…you have to know that to me, Clark was so much more than that. I miss him terribly so you calling him just an alien with space goop….I don't want to hear those things. I can't handle hearing those things. Clark gave up so so much for our relationship and our marriage. He did that because he loved me. He was your brother-in-law."

Lucy had her hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "If he treated me in the same way that he treated you, I'm sure that I would have loved him unconditionally as well."

"I still do," Lois said as she sat down knowing that with his heightened hearing abilities, Chris was able to hear her. "I still love him unconditionally."

LLCKLLCK

_When Lois finally entered the newspaper building, she heard cameras and a lot of voices. She took a look around and realized that they were focused on her. How had they known that she would be coming into the building that day? How had the information reached them that - She froze. No. Jimmy wouldn't have gossiped about something so important and especially with their friendships at stake. Someone else must have found out the truth. _

"_That's enough," she heard Perry call out as he came up to her. "Lois, my office," he gestured. "I know you all want your story but this is our own story. I don't come to your offices or send my reporters out to get your scoops. I'm sure that we can set up some dates and times in a respectful manner." _

_Lois took a deep breath as she ran into the newsroom. As she stopped, she saw everyone staring at her. Immediately upon seeing her, a nervous Jimmy came to her. She could already tell by his expression that he wasn't the cause of the leak but he was scared that she would assume it was him. _

"_Lois, are you okay? I didn't tell anyone. I swear. I wouldn't betray CK like that," he said quickly. _

"_I know," Lois whispered as she took a deep breath in. She saw everyone continuing to look at her and walked over to what would have been Clark's desk. She didn't want to show her anger but it had been converted into a Superman tribute. No. He was more than that. He enjoyed his work and put a lot of passion into it. Yes, he cared about saving people and stopping crimes as well but there was a reason he had put in so much effort establishing two lives. He cared about each of them. This though wasn't the time for Superman to be honored but rather Clark. _

"_How long did you know?" one of the other male reporters asked and Lois paled. _

_She searched the desk for his name plate and realized that it wasn't there. She didn't want to answer these questions or feel like having kept his identity secret was wrong. "He was…." She looked around and saw that in the area Jimmy usually worked there were the Clark Kent items. She walked over to the nameplate and smiled. _

"_I didn't do this," Jimmy whispered to her and Lois nodded, knowing that already. He saw the way she lovingly held his name, his real name. "CK wouldn't want this. You should meet Perry in his office."_

"_Will you come with me?" Lois asked as she stared at the desk devastated once again and Jimmy placed a supportive hand on her back._

"_Yeah, of course, let's go," he said before walking with her. Lois smiled as she felt his kindness. Jimmy Olsen would always want to get the best scoop possible to prove himself as a future journalist. He wanted respect from the people he worked with. However, he wasn't going to sell out his friend in order to do that. He wasn't willing to turn Clark into someone else. Lois felt safe with him. Clark would have felt safe with him. _

CKLLCKLLCKLL

Lois felt herself even more alone as she watched Chris do some of the lower-rank tasks for The Planet. She could see Jimmy watching him and sighing as he put his hands over the desk which Clark had once sat at. She sat down and smiled at him. "Are you planning to participate?" he asked her. Lois looked to him before bowing her head. Superman Day was coming up and it made her chest tighten as she thought about it. When people had found out Superman's identity and then found out Clark's birthday, they had created a national event. However, this was much more painful for Lois. Clark Kent was forgotten because of the shadow of the hero he had played. He was seen as less valuable in his 'pretend human character' than as someone who had rescued millions despite being the same person.

"I don't think so, I'll probably spend the time with Johnathan and tell him about his dad," Lois replied

"When you say his da-" Jimmy began and Lois laughed weakly.

"Clark. I want to spend the time honoring Clark, thinking about Clark. I don't care who else he was. I want to ignore that. Whoever he was or is isn't important. He's Clark no matter what," Lois said before turning back to her computer but her eyes kept moving to Chris.

"Whoever he _is?" _Jimmy asked.

"Was," Lois said quickly. She turned to Jimmy who was eyeing her curiously and then looking back to Chris who hadn't noticed she had been staring at him, or at least he didn't act like he noticed. "I meant, was. It's not like Clark could come back to life."

"But Superman could?" Jimmy asked and Lois looked to him.

"What are you going on about? I just said that he's dead and I don't want to think that the past could be changed." Lois took another shaky breath. Was she wrong in trusting Jimmy so much? He had been their close friend and he was one of the few people who agreed with her that as interesting and intimidating and worthy as Superman was, Clark was better. He was the one who had created the man of steel.

"I was hoping that we could do something to honor CK," Jimmy replied. He sat quietly before standing up and walked over to Chris. He studied him again, analyzing his body. "Can I speak to you in private?" he asked and Lois immediately got up to follow him.

"Did I do something wrong…..sir?" Chris asked and saw people stepping away from him. "Mr. Olsen?" he asked and Jimmy looked at him firmly.

"I never thanked you properly," he said and Chris blinked confused. "I don't know if you can read minds or whatever but…you saved my life on a number of occasions and never once demanded anything in return. I mean, you've had to suffer with so much…CK…that the things that you've taken upon yourself in order to save others. Just know that I'm really grateful and if you need me right now when things are kind of new…."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chris laughed before looking away. "You're confusing me with somebody else, we just met" he said and Jimmy looked around to make sure that there was no one there.

"Okay," he said weakly. "Maybe I'm losing it a bit but…call me if you ever need to grab a drink or some pizza or just…to talk…okay?"

"Jimmy," Lois said feeling a little safer that no one could hear them. She looked to Chris and she could see the complicated emotions on his face. "We can trust him," she mouthed and Jimmy turned to look at her but he hadn't caught what she had just said.

"I know," Chris replied. "Do you want to get something to eat at the end of the day and I can explain myself?" he asked and Jimmy smiled, a couple of tears in his eyes.

"You're truly CK?" he asked. He looked up at Chris nodded, giving a nervous look to Lois. "That's great," Jimmy laughed in relief as he pushed his hair back. "That's so great."

**End of Chapter Six**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to **Kagome Avalon** for her review on Chapter Five


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

For the rest of the day, Lois kept watching Chris. Something didn't feel right. She knew that it was him but he didn't have his usual energy. Once some of the reporters had left, she made her way over to him, taking a look around to see if people were watching her. Jimmy was the only one.

"Hi," Lois said as she subtly held his hand behind the copy machine, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ms. Lane," he told her with a wink but Lois didn't believe it. She wasn't going to blow his secret though. It was enough that Jimmy knew. Lois looked around before squeezing his hand.

"Mrs. Kent," she smiled and Chris nodded.

"Mrs. Kent," he repeated. He looked around before staring at the copy machine. He took a deep breath in and Lois could tell something was troubling him. She saw him raise his head in an all too familiar way. There was danger nearby. She would most definitely cover for him.

"Meet me downstairs in twenty minutes…unless your saving the day takes longer," she whispered. "I'll take care of everything here." She saw Chris look at her nervously before he nodded. She smiled as she saw him quickly fly off after changing his suit. She was surprised to see a full mask pulled over his face in one of those styles where it fit like a rubber glove. So, he would be wearing that to hide his identity. She felt very relieved about that.

"Lois!" Perry called out to her and Lois paused, she turned to see the editor in chief there and went over. Jimmy was still watching her, having a sense of what had happened with Chris. "May I speak to you in my office?"

Lois took a slow breath in before nodding. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long and if she didn't meet up with Chris on time, hopefully he would forgive her. She followed Perry into his office. She had seen how shocked he was about Clark being Superman all of this time but nothing had depressed him quite as much as the death of the two of them.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Perry inquired and Lois put one hand on her hip.

"What do you think I'm hiding? Don't you think that my biggest secret, Clark's biggest secret has been revealed. I married Clark Kent and not Superman. If you're talking about my attitude then how about we honor Clark instead of Superman. Clark was Superman. Clark was someone who truly cared about everyone he came across. He was adopted. He was from another planet. None of that matters to me. He may have looked like an earthling but who cares, Clark was…well, he was Clark. I hate that his memory only stands as a shadow to Superman's."

"Well, it's not too much of a stretch to think of him as Superman first and as Clark second," Perry said and Lois frowned. She could never do that. She loved her husband no matter what. "I really wanted to ask you about that boy. I've seen the way you look at him. If he's just a rebound guy then it'll create tension in the office. I can't let that happen."

"He's not a rebound," Lois argued. She wondered whether that was the right thing to say. She didn't want to expose Chris….Clark again. "He's just a friend. Unless I meet a guy whom I love as much as Clark, then I won't dishonor his memory but Clark would want me to be happy."

"Just don't go too far with this kid, I know that he's attractive but -well, comparing him to Superman, that's a little…" Perry said and Lois frowned.

"Clark. Clark lived a long time in Smallville _as_ Clark. His parents call him Clark. I married Clark Kent knowing his secret," she replied before hearing a knock on the door.

"Hey, Chief," Jimmy said and Lois was happy to see him there. "I wanted to talk with you about that story I wanted to pitch to you, unless you're not finished with this meeting."

"We're done, Jimmy," Lois replied. "I'll be leaving for the day. I want to get back to my son and hold him and tell him how wonderful his father was. I want to tell him how he would risk his life for his family were Kryptonite present."

Lois turned, giving Jimmy a smile that Perry couldn't have seen and managed to put her coat on before going down to the street below them. She was pleased to see Chris waiting for her. "Hi," she smiled as she rushed over to him. "Is everything okay? How was your first day?"

"It's tricky," Chris told her. "I just…you fell in love with your partner on several articles, someone whom you could read the articles of -"

"And you'll get there," Lois tried to reassure him. "Once Perry sees what you can do with the assignments, he'll promote you. I bet you'll only have to get coffee and make copies for a little while. I'll also be there."

"That's the problem," Chris told her. "This body is rejecting what is going on back there. I don't feel that same passion to write the articles as I used to do. It's pushing me in a whole new direction in which I never thought I would be interested in."

"That's okay," Lois attempted to reassure him. She stood still, her mind coming up with the worst question of all. She needed him to give a particular answer. "When your body is rejecting your old job, our old place of work, is it also rejecting our relationship."

"No, it's not, it's really not," Chris said before pulling her into an empty alley. "I love you with my entire being. I can't imagine myself ever loving another person who is not you. My body, this body, the heart seems to be guiding me towards the culinary arts. I've never even considered that before. It's something strange, maybe it will pass but I don't believe so."

"You'd still stay in Metropolis though?" she asked feeling scared that he would tell her he would be moving half way across the world.

"Of course I would," Chris told her. "That is if you still want me."

"Always," Lois breathed softly. She kissed him after checking to make sure nobody could see him. "You should go, you should go to culinary school if that is where this body is guiding you. I have no doubt that your cooking would be delicious. I can't wait to try it."

Chris placed his hands on her shoulders and then hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," Lois whispered to him, pressing small kisses to his chest. "Don't be. There's only one thing that really matters to me," she saw his confused look and reached up, pushing his hair back. "As long as how you feel about me changes, nothing else matters. I love you. I love you so much. I love you unconditionally."

"I feel the same way," he told her. "I will never stop loving you." He moved back and away from her and Lois stared at him, her arms still ached when she wasn't touching him. It didn't matter how he looked, he was her Clark, he just wasn't really _Clark_ any longer.

"Jimmy's here," Chris told her and Lois nodded. They _had_ promised to have a meal with him at the end of the day.

LLCKLLCKLLCK

"I hope that you two are planning on staying together," Jimmy commented after they had ordered their food. Lois held Chris's hand underneath the table so only Jimmy could suspect them.

"Just try to stop me," Lois winked and Chris laughed softly. She wanted to act intimate with him but she couldn't do that in public. Chris was about to say something when the waitress brought over their food. Jimmy took his burger happily before watching as the waitress took away Chris's silverware before he could stop her and on the top of his salad was a pair of chopsticks that he didn't even know this place had.

All three of them stared at the item. Chris's hand reached out but Lois stopped him, placing her hand over his wrist to tell him not to do anything.

"Excuse me," she coughed as she stood up and gestured to Chris's meal. "What does this mean?" she asked.

"The manager told me to do it. We can refuse service to anyone. This is a kind gesture…seeing as how he looks like a chin-" she said before seeing the fire in Lois's eyes.

"Excuse me," she said interrupting her before she could finish the insult. People these days shouldn't be so judgmental. This was the nineties not the war-torn forties. "You have absolutely no right to judge my friend like this. I just so happen to be a reporter and I have no problem in exposing this place for what it is." Lois reached behind her for the chopsticks and shoved them into the waitresses chest, holding them vertically so not to stab her. "You can take these," she told her. "Be prepared for this restaurant to be exposed for what it really is, an intolerant, low-class, trashy place where people like my friend are treated rudely and which holds racism against him."

Chris was about to argue with her but Lois grabbed her coat and put it on. He stood up to follow after her as she threw some money onto the table. Once outside, he was about to tell her that it was okay and that whilst he was healing, he became used to it. It was less common than fifty years ago but there were still some individuals who acted that way. He was about to tell her this before seeing the tears in her eyes with a few running down her cheeks.

"You don't deserve to be treated like that," she told him. Chris opened his mouth to argue. He didn't have white privilege any longer. He now realized how well white men were treated but Lois hadn't accepted it as he had. "If they knew who you really were."

"It's fine," Chris said as he saw Jimmy exit and very quickly kissed Lois's forehead. She shook her head in disagreement. It was _fine_!? It was anything but fine to her.

"They won't get away with this. That was blatant racism in there, they can't treat people like that," she said and she saw Chris's mouth open as if he was going to say the same thing. She stopped him by putting two fingers over his lips. "Jimmy," she said as she turned to the fellow reporter. "I'm really sorry. I know we promised to have a conversation but I'd really like to go home. Can I take a raincheck?"

Jimmy nodded. He didn't think it was fine either. "I understand. We can do this another time," he said. "I'm sorry that happened, CK," he apologized and Chris shook his head.

"Come on, let's go home," she told Chris before they said a quick goodbye to Jimmy. Chris pulled her into another empty alleyway before quickly getting changed and lifting her up carefully to take her home. Lois nuzzled his neck as he carried them back to the Kent residence.

"I love you," she told him. "I can't stand anyone who would hurt you or insult you." Finally they got home and Chris landed without anyone noticing. He carefully set Lois down. "Chris," she breathed out, "How often does this happen to you? How often do people judge you just because of the way you look? You can tell me, honey," she said as she placed her hand on his cheek.

"It doesn't matter as long as _we're_ together," he said, avoiding the answer. Lois once again embraced him. She hadn't wanted to hear that from him. It only proved that it happened a lot. She kissed him passionately.

"You are always going to be my love," she told him wanting to comfort him, "no matter what."

**End of Chapter Seven**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Six

Hinahyuga67, Kagome Avalon, very1169


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